Funny enough Chuck Schumer says the impeachment trial against Trump will be “fair and honest.” For an honest trial, it might not even be legal! Only someone holding office may be impeached, Trump is no longer the President of the United States, making this a political and constitutional anomaly that we have never seen before.
Schumer said:
“All parties have agreed to a structure that will ensure a fair and honest Senate impeachment trial of the former president,” he said, adding, “The structure we have agreed to is eminently fair. It will allow for the trial to reach its purpose: truth and accountability.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer: "All parties have agreed to a structure that will ensure a fair and honest Senate impeachment trial of the former president." https://t.co/QlQXkpwwu5 pic.twitter.com/caVjB3cjgu
— The Hill (@thehill) February 8, 2021
The proceedings will be provided over by a Democrat who promised “impartial justice”.
Patrick Leahy said:
“The president pro tempore has historically presided over Senate impeachment trials of non-presidents. When presiding over an impeachment trial, the president pro tempore takes an additional special oath to do impartial justice according to the Constitution and the laws. It is an oath that I take extraordinarily seriously.”
“I consider holding the office of the president pro tempore and the responsibilities that come with it to be one of the highest honors and most serious responsibilities of my career. When I preside over the impeachment of former President Donald Trump, I will not waver from my constitutional and sworn obligations to administer the trial with fairness, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws.”
When presiding over an impeachment trial, the president pro tempore takes a special oath to do impartial justice according to the Constitution & the laws. It is an oath that I take extraordinarily seriously. My comment here on presiding over Pres. Trump's impeachment trial: pic.twitter.com/Y93RedVb8w
— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) January 25, 2021
Proving that he would be impartial (not), Leahy had said weeks earlier:
“Nixon committed crimes nowhere near as serious as those by President Trump, and yet Nixon knew he had to resign. Trump’s crimes trying to overturn our elections and openly instigating a riot causing deaths warrant his immediate resignation or removal.”
“Pres. Trump has not simply failed to uphold his oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, which itself would be sufficient to warrant impeachment and removal. He has emerged as the *greatest threat* to the Constitution and to American democracy in a generation. … I hope that Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans will stand with our constitutional republic, as did 10 Republicans in the House today. For the good of the country, he must lead his party in voting to convict Pres. Trump and to prevent him from holding future office.”
After this statement, the public is sure to have confidence that this democrat will have the wisdom to proceed over a trial where he has personal convictions against the defendant (Trump). This is said in tongue and cheek, but the point made is clear.
